Illuminated sign



Dec, 4 1923. I 1,475,977

CZ. WEST nwmmvrnn smu Filed June 25. 1923 l v I gm i; 22 a l I x 4 M1 7 .m' L3 6 j jweliizr CHARLES .wnsr, or CHICAGO, ILLI NoIs.

ILLUMINATED sren.

"A ucation filed June 25, 1923. Serial No. 647,644.

To allwhom it ma concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs'WnsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county-of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in illuminated signs for window display, advertising, and similar purposes; an object being to provide a device of this character which shall have such mechanical simplicity as to be inexpensive of construction and easy to operate by unskilled persons.

A further object of my invention is to provide an illuminated sign of such construc tion that thin or transparent paper may be employed in place of the glass front heretofore used in such devices, the paper serving not only as the front wall of the device but having advertising or other matter printed thereon.

And a further object is to provide an illuminated sign with a paper receiving frame of such construction as to compel a, stretching of the paper when secured in place, thus imparting a uniform flat surface to even newspaper or other cheap papers which closely resembles glass. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view, my invention consists in the novel construction, combinationand arrangement of parts, all as will be described hereinafter and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and'in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the novel manner of clanping and stretching a paper diaphragm, an

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 33 of Fig. 1, showing more clearly the frame structure employed in the device.

The preferred form of construction comprises an incandescent lamp housing 1, a lamp 2 in said housing, and a socket 3, prefferably of the flash type, for said lamp.

The interior surface of housing 1 serves to reflect the light rays from lamp 2 toward the front of the device for illuminating the sign, which, as before stated, is printed on paper. Housing 1 is preferably formed from sheet metal, and the front edge there- I of is secured to a stationary frame 4, as

shown in Fig. 3.

Frame 4 is provided, with two rabbets '5.

and 6, and a forwardly projecting flange 7,

the front edge of which serves to stretch the paper diaphragm as will be presently described. I i

A removable frame 8 is provided with rabbets 9 and 10, the latter having a raised portion 11 against which the paper is pressed. This raised portion may be formed integral with frame 8, but preferably it consists of a bead or strip ofleather glued to rabbet 10 as indicated in Fig. 3. p

A clamping frame 12 is removable the same as frame 8 and serves to clamp the paper diaphragm 13 against bead 11."

Glamping screws 14 suitably spaced in rabbet 9 serve to lock clamping frame 12 in operative position, and similar screws 15 hold frame 8 to the stationary frame 4.

The operation for inserting a'newpaper' diaphragm is as follows: Assuming that paper 13 is locked in position, as shown in Fig. 3, then, upon turning screws 15 to the dotted position, frame 8 maybe removed and -placed front side down on a convenient table. Then, upon turning screws 14 to the dotted position, clamping frame 12 and paper 13 may be removed from frame 8. Now the new paper diaphragm is laid on'bead 11, over which frame 12 is placed and clamped by turning screws 14. Then frame 8 is placed back on frame 4 andlocked by turning screws 15. This'last action presses flange 7 against paper 13 and accomplishes the stretching function, the shape offlange 7 being such as to take up all slack in the paper and, in addition, to impart a tight stationary frame and clamping means there for, there being a rabbet in said removable frame for the reception of a paper diaphragm, a clamping frame formed to fit in said'rabbet, and means for clamping the clamping frame against SZLlCl d aphragm,

said flan 'e being formed to stretch the diaphragmafter the same is clamped in position.

2. A device of "the character described comprising a lamp housing, a stationary frame secured to said housing having a projecting flange, a removable frame, means for clamping said removable frame to said stationary frame, there being a rabbet in said removable frame, a bead secured to said rabbet, a frame for pressing a paper diaphragm against said bead, and means for clamping said last-named frame in said rabbet, said flange being formed to tighten the diaphragm.

'3. A device of-the character described comprising a lamp housing and a lamp therein, a stationary frame secured to said housing having a projecting flange, a removable frame and means for clamping the same on said stationary frame, there being a rabbet and bead in said removable frame, and a frame and clamping means therefor for securing a paper diaphragm to said bead,

said flange being inside of said head and d ap a device of the character described a rabbet and bead in said removable frame,

a frame fitted tosaid rabbet, and clamping screws 111 sa d removable frame for pressing said last named frame againstfa paper's diaphragm placed over said bead, said flange being positioned to stretch "the 5. A comprising a lamp housing, a stationary frame secured to the outslde of said housing, a removable frame having a rabbet to t over said stationary frame, clamping screws in said removable frame for holding the same on said stationary frame, there being a rabbetand bead formed therein adjacent the inner edge of said removable frame, and means for clamping a paper diaphragm to said bead, said flange pro jecting slightly beyond said bead, for stretching the diaphragm when the removable frame is held in positionon the stationary frame. i r

In Witness whereof I aflix my signature in'presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES WEST. WVitnesses:

l/VFC. SMITH, W. W. WA D. 

